One of the perks of senior missionaries is that your
children and grandchildren get to visit you if they can arrange to get where
you are serving. Our son-in-law, Adam,
visited us for a few days before Christmas while he was on a business
trip. And now, our youngest daughter,
Kara, and her husband, Chris, decided to take a European vacation before Chris
starts medical school at Penn State in July.
So, they decided to visit Italy and to drop by and spend a
few days (OK, about six) with us. They
came to church with us on Sunday and got to meet the wonderful members of our
little branch.
We were able to show them around the Bella Toscana, starting
with the hill towns of Radda in Chianti and Castellina in Chianti, and then
Montepulchiano, Pienza and Montalcino.
It only rained on us for about a day and a half, and then we had
beautiful weather for the remainder of our time together.
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Kara and Chris in Montepulchiano |
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Rainy day in Radda in Chianti |
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Dad and Kara in Montepulchiano |
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Jet lag caught up with them, and they missed a lot of beautiful countryside |
We tried to show them the wonderful things in Siena, but the weather didn't cooperate. Also, we tried twice to get into the Duomo, but both times they decided to close it early, with no warning. But we did climb the Tower and walk the rainy streets of old town.
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We climbed to the top of the highest civic tower in all of Italy, right in Siena! |
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A view of Siena's Duomo from the top of the tower |
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The rainy streets of downtown Siena |
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The facade of Siena's grand Duomo |
We also visited the nearby towns of San Gimignano and
Volterra, and spent a long day in Florence.
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The towers of San Gimignano |
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A park in Volterra |
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Chris would have trouble with this door for sure! |
To finish off their visit, we saw the sights in Pisa and
Lucca.
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Riding bikes around the walls of Lucca |
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Pisa's Duomo and Baptistry from the top of the Leaning Tower |
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Kara and Chris at the top of the Leaning Tower |
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Darryl and Bonnie on the top too! |
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The best of friends pose in Pisa |
Then we spent two glorious days in the beautiful Cinque Terre region.
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Chris catching a few extra winks |
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Corniglia, where we stayed for two nights |
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Corniglia on the hill |
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Hiking the trail between Corniglia and Vernazza |
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Vernazza |
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Open air bistros near the water |
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Darryl and Bonnie on the hike to Vernazza |
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365 stairs from the train station up to Corniglia |
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Corniglia from the water |
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Manarola |
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Riomaggiore |
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Manarola at night |
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Waiting for a train to Monterosso that never came! |
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Chris and Kara off to the beach in Vernazza |
After what were fun-filled and joyful days together, we
dropped them off at the train station in Genova where they continued their
European adventure on their own, visiting Venice, and then taking the night
train to Paris for two romantic days alone before returning to their beautiful
daughter, Olivia, who anxiously waited for them back in the States.
This little respite from our everyday assignments was both
refreshing and invigorating, and a lot of work hiking up and down the mountain
trails of Cinque Terre. It was a
mid-mission break that reminded us how precious our five children, our five
sons and daughters-in-law, and our ten (soon to be 11 in a few weeks)
grandchildren are to us!
And on Mother's Day, our son Daniel and his wife, Tara,
broke more baby news to us. They are
expecting, and they are having twins!!!
So that will be 13, and who knows who else might receive such wonderful
blessings from on high.
Families are miracles, and the restored gospel reveals that
families can be together forever. And
for that knowledge, we are eternally grateful!
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